1814 War of 1812 Officer’s Letter — Fort Constitution — Military Pay & Shortage of Funds

Original manuscript letter dated Fort Constitution, October 8, 1814, addressed to Nehemiah Freeman, District Paymaster, Boston.

Signed with a name appearing to read “T. Crooker,” and provisionally attributed to Major Turner Crooker, the letter concerns payment of accounts and bills exchanged with Captain Allen at Portsmouth. The writer explains that, while passing through Boston, he understood the paymaster had no funds available. Now short of cash, he requests that the money be transmitted to him, preferably in a banknote.

A personal record of the financial difficulties encountered by an American officer during the War of 1812, written from Fort Constitution in Portsmouth Harbor, New Hampshire.

One written page with integral address panel, contemporary docketing, a faint red postal marking, and remnants of red sealing wax. The accounts described as enclosed are not present.

Condition: Age toning, scattered spotting, faded but substantially readable handwriting, intersecting folds, fold splits, and irregular paper losses along the central fold and edges. Address and docketing remain comparatively bold. See photographs.